Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Contact: Jessica Robinson, 573-751-0290
Blunt Tackles License Plate Tab Theft
ST. LOUIS– Gov. Matt Blunt today signed legislation tackling tab theft and making it easier for Missourians to replace stolen license plate tabs. The law will benefit Missourians who together had to replace 20,625 plates or tabs last year.
"Law abiding vehicle owners whose tabs are stolen should not have to jump through hoops to have their tabs replaced," Gov. Blunt said as he signed the bill in a bi-partisan event at the St. Louis Police Board. "I am pleased to sign Sen. Maida Coleman's bill to provide Missourians an alternative to protect their plates from tab theft and make it easier than ever before for tab theft victims to replace their stolen property without unnecessary, added costs."
Senate Bill 384, sponsored by Sen. Maida Coleman, allows Missourians to receive two sets of license plate tabs for free to replace stolen tabs if they submit a notarized affidavit. Previous law required a police report to avoid the $8.50 tab replacement charge. The new law applies to tabs issued before January 1, 2009, which is when Missouri's new license plate will be introduced. The bill also provides that license plates may be encased in transparent covers so long as the plates are plainly visible and their reflective qualities are not impaired.
"I appreciate the Governor's willingness to sign this legislation, and as a result, Missourians who have been the victims of tab theft will find it easier to replace those tabs," Sen. Coleman said.
"This bill represents a common sense approach to a long-standing problem. I want to thank the governor, the bill's sponsors, and the Department of Revenue for their help in fixing this problem," St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay said.
The new law will benefit Missourians like one woman from St. Louis who had her tabs stolen twice in two weeks and a Kansas City family who had their tabs stolen as many as five times over 10 years.
In 2006, license offices issued 20,625 replacement plates or tabs statewide that were identified as stolen. Of those replacements, approximately 1,100 were accompanied by a police report. The rest were identified as stolen but did not have an accompanying police report so the vehicle owners paid an $8.50 replacement fee. Under the new law, as long as vehicle owners have a notarized affidavit, they would not have to pay the replacement fee for the new tabs.
Beginning January, 2009, vehicle owners will have access to new license plates specially designed to reduce tab theft as well as to improve the plate's visibility and ensure the collection of state and local taxes. Several security features work in conjunction with one another to further aid in eliminating tab theft. The new plates will feature a larger size tab and the expiration month will be embossed in the upper left corner. The new year tab and plate configurations will assist law enforcement in determining whether a plate is expired.